Jake C. Wallace: Wednesday Briefs #25 The Hollow: Soul Seekers

Each week a group of authors participate weekly in Wednesday Briefs Flash Fiction. Each installment is 500-1000 words long and is posted to our blogs each week. After you read the latest in my story, click on the links at the end to visit the other flashers.

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Levi let out a long sigh escape. Why did she have to mention that?

Dr. Winston continued. “The pendant blocks energy. For some reason, Jeb’s energy is having an adverse effect on you. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Nothing like it? It’s all freaking crazy if you ask me. So it was you every time this thing happened to me?” He pointed to Jeb, accusingly. Jeb stood, arms at his side, very still, too still. “Do you know what kind of hell you put me through? I thought I was going crazy, losing my friggin’ mind. I thought my skull was going to disintegrate. I almost died, at least three times.” He said pushing three fingers toward Jeb.

Dr. Winston’s head jerked in Jeb’s direction but Jeb remained deathly still.

“Yeah, that’s right. After that first time, you were around at the college; I ended in the lake because I felt like my body was on fire.”

A raised eyebrow then low chuckle came from Jeb. “On purpose?”

“Yeah, only I don’t see how dropping twenty feet into an icy Adirondack Lake, breaking a rib, then almost freezing to death is funny,” Levi seethed.

Jeb flinched as if Levi had swung at him.

“The second time, when you were outside my house, I almost swallowed an entire bottle of pills because I couldn’t take the crushing sadness that came after seeing you. And then yesterday when you touched me, my Godm the pain, and then my nose started bleeding and, well…forget it.” Levi plunked down into the chair rubbing his temples hard.

“Levi, I’m sorry. We didn’t have a clue it was that bad,” Dr. Winston said.

“Well, maybe if you’d asked before sending your goon after me, all of this could have been avoided,” Levi said, wondering how hard he’d have to rub to crush his skull and end all of this here.

Slowly, sitting up his headache began to dissipate. Jeb had resumed his relaxed position against the wall, playing with that damned pendant, the only barrier between Levi’s sanity and utter hell when he was near.

The corner of Jeb’s mouth curled a bit, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Was the cocky jerk enjoying Levi’s pain? Jeb tilted his head a bit and wrapped his fist around the pendant. His lips parted a bit.

Startling warmth flooded through Levi’s body. Levi rubbed began to rub his palms slowly over the tops of his thighs. Jeb held Levi’s gaze. Jeb gave his bottom a slow languorous lick. Levi’s eyes followed the pink appendage. God, what would it be like to suck on that lip?

What the hell was that? Levi sat straight up in the chair, the action tipping it a bit.

“You okay,” Dr. Winston asked, reaching out to steady the chair

“Not really,” Levi said blatantly.

Jeb unwrapped his fingers from the pendant but continued to hold it with two fingers.

Dr. Winston carried on. “I’m confused about some things you said.”

Welcome to my world.

“What exactly happened that drove you into the lake and to swallow the pills? Once Jeb wasn’t near, the affect would have ended.”

Levi explained the euphoria, the searing heat that followed. He described the sadness and overwhelming despair but stopped before telling about the wanton need for Noah and his murderous desires.

“What about yesterday?” Jeb asked. Levi glared at him but Jeb continued. “After I left you.”

Levi averted his gaze to his hands unsure how to answer that. “Let’s just say there’s this person,”—no way was he outing himself here—“and, well...” He swallowed hard, trying to suppress his blush. “It was all nice and cozy and then it wasn’t.”

“What wasn’t “nice”?” Jeb asked, leaning forward, scowling.

“I wanted to kill this person, okay? If I hadn’t gotten away from this person, I might have done it with my bare hands.”

Jeb cocked an eyebrow as if impressed with his statement. “You just wanted to kill this person. Nothing else.”

Levi narrowed his eyes, wondering what Jeb thought he knew. “Um, first I might have wanted to…you know…”Levi could feel his face turn about ten shades of purple.

“What?” Jeb pushed.

Levi signed. “We were kissing and you know it got a little out of control and then I felt like I wanted to murder this person,” Levi confessed, unsettled sharing the information.

“So after you left Jeb each time you experienced an intense emotion running the spectrum. On one end a mild euphoria which, when untethered, can turn to a raging burning high. Sadness to utter despair and then lust to a murderous rage.”

Sounded right. “Can you tell me why I had those emotions? Levi asked.

“Not really. I mean they’re normal emotions. Something definitely triggered their intensity.”

Levi shook his head. “You don’t understand. I don’t feel, ever. Except for a few times when something really bad happened.” Levi continued without trepidation. Might as well throw all of his most embarrassing details onto that table. “I’m as dead inside as they come. I don’t even cry unless I’m really hurt. I totally pissed off my brother yesterday, hurt him, the only person in my life who has always been there for me and I just did it. Felt a little guilty, tried really hard to cry when I saw the pain in his eyes but nothing.” Levi was disgusted by his hideous behavior toward Logan.

Dr. Winston jaw dropped. Jeb didn’t move except to narrow his eyes. Levi really wanted to punch him.

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